The Dillon tribune., 1887-12-09

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: have been
requested to tell you something in regard
to the life Of the early settler of Montana.
How we lived here and what we did twenty
years and upwards ago. How we live now
need not tell you. You all know we now
tive on the fat of the land, but in the days
of long ago there was an occasional streak
Of lean mixed the fat; in fact, lean was the
staple article.
In 1863 + the stories told in the East Of
the fabulous wealth of what was then
known as Idaho, (now Montana) the ad-
vice Of Horace Greeley to Ego West, young
man, 60 West" coupled with the great
"hankering" both Of the Federal and Con.
federate governments for men Of all classes,
irrespective Of habits or morals, had ten.
dency to cause great immigration from
all parts Of the East to this country during
those years. OF this great immigration,
probably over onc.half drifted back each
year, utterly discouraged and disappointed.
The remainder stayed here from various
causes-the principal one being that they
couldn't get away.
'rhcre is a destiny that shapes our ends,
Rough licw them as we may''
Severed from the places OF their nativity
BY an unsettled region OF hundreds of miles
they were forced to make a choice of me-
cessity, and have had cause ever since, to
bless their stars that Mr.. Necessity car.c
out ahead.
Kind hcarer, when promised to tell you
in quiet way how We lived and what we
did here in the early days Of Montana, /
found it would be far easier to tell you how
we dH!n'f live and what we tliauI do. We
did not live on cakes and pics-they en-
gendcred dyspepsia; besides, sugar was
$I.,s per pound-and, my word for it, we
all had uses for what dollars we had, ii we
had EN- at all. The ma jority of the set.
tiers were not Rothchilds or Jay Gould,,
consequently when butter was Sl.75 or S,
apound, their beetstcak never came in con
tact or was MIXED up with that article in
any shape or manner. In very wicked
camps the morning meal of the "tender.
foot boarder was sometimes spoiled by "a
man for breakfast" but never bv hi, ,oas,
being buttered on both sides. And right
here let me remark that | have never, in
the whole course of my varied and check
cred career, known person under forty to
die of starvation ii he had plenty Of bacon,
bread and coffee. On the Contrary, if he
has an easy conscience, and don. work too
hard after he becomes accustomed TO such
diet, and has ceased to yearn Tor the
flesh pots of Egypt he is liable to hold
his own, and even gain a little, especially
if he was Il native Of Missouri, where, l
am told, pork is plentiful. From these re.
marks you must not infer that l wish your
sympathy in behalf of the pioneer Of Mon.
ana because his com'oissary department
was bare Of the luxures he had, perhaps,
all his life been accustomed to. Bear in
mind the fact, ii you please, that his FIVE
or six months trip across the plains had, in
common parlancc, taken the starch" out
of the average Young man, gradually root.
cd out his old habits OF Incidence, dissipa.
tion and seli>hness. ii he had any, and in.
stilled in their stead those Of hardihood, in.
dus,ry, economy and thrift. And, when
in the winter Of 1865 Hour, even, went
up, up until it sold for $l.so per pound,
many man shouidercd his rifle and fled
to the mountains. "Familiarity," it is said,
"brceds contempt Deer and antelope
meat, straight, does very we'll for meal or